While I've grown in wisdom over my 72 years, I wish I had heard of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy decades ago. I was one of those women who experienced early on-set menopause in my mid- to late- 30's (in the 1980's), at the same time that the health of my father was failing due to Alzheimer's, and my step-mother's because of cancer. Both died a month apart in 1989.
My early on-set menopause manifested as insomnia. I would fall asleep without issue, but then wake up a couple of times during the night. It got so bad that I would fall asleep, but then wake up 2 hours later. It would be another half-hour to 45 minutes before I would fall asleep again, then wake up 2 hours later--again, and again.
One physician I went to for help did absolutely nothing--totally ignoring my pleas for help. A year and a half later, another physician said that my system had totally shut down, and prescribed Premarin on a daily basis for at least 3 months. This made a huge difference in my life.
However, I certainly did not want to take a synthetic hormone for the rest of my life and risk breast cancer. When I was 15, my mother died of breast cancer.
After I heard Suzanne Somers' testimonial about her use of bioidentical hormones, and read her book on that subject, I decided to investigate further. A physician in my area specialized in treating menopausal symptoms with bioidentical hormones. The effect was immediate! My depression lifted and I no longer felt that I was going to break out in tears at any moment. I slept through the night, dreamt, and woke up feeling like a normal person.
Without access to bioidentical hormones, I don't know what would have happened to me. During those periods in my life when I changed jobs, or my company down-sized and I was laid off so that I could not afford the bioidentical hormones, my life changed dramatically. At this point, I wasn't sleeping at all--wide awake at night and only feeling sleeping around 8:30 AM. I would sleep for about 4 hours and wake up again. How could I hold a job with this kind of a sleep pattern--apply as a night desk clerk? When would I interact with my family and friends? At times suicide was on my mind as a way out.
Fortunately for me, I got a job after being laid off for 24-months and have been able to afford my bioidentical hormones ever since. I am sleeping well, enjoying my day job, interacting with my family and friends as much as the pandemic will allow.
For someone thousands of miles away making a decision that compounded hormones, or any compounded medication does not serve the public, I would ask: Just exactly what is your agenda and whom are you serving? Are you on the side of ordinary people whose medical needs are being met by compounded medications, or are you on the side of big pharma and their goal of ever greater profits?